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299 reviews for:
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime
John Heilemann
4.08 AVERAGE
299 reviews for:
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime
John Heilemann
4.08 AVERAGE
Not ever having read a political book before, I was surprised at how addictive it was. Huge book - but very insightful at the behind the scenes stuff. Worth the time.
This superbly reported book should be of interest to anyone who cares about presidential politics. “Game Change” altered my perceptions of everyone in the 2008 presidential race, especially Hillary Clinton and John McCain. The book also confirmed my worst views of Sarah Palin. “Game Change” reveals Barak Obama as someone who has a great capacity to learn and to lead, although he also is portrayed as ambivalent about becoming president. Fascinating stuff.
This read like a Shakespearean tragedy combined with People magazine. I felt compelled to read details of broken people making horrific choices. I could not put this book down. It was addicting. And the themes of hubris and ego, good gravy. Makes me glad not to be running for elected office.
Sooo.... I'm thinking this was not a favorite book of Hilary Clinton. And McCain and Palin. And John Edwards. Obama came out of this smelling like a rose.
It was just such an interesting juxtaposition of the Obama and Clinton campaigns. Clinton's seemed to be in disarray and full of infighting with no singular, clear message on Hilary. Or when it came, it was too late. And I don't think Bill's involvement helped her at all. (I can't believe he was STILL -- maybe still is -- cheating on her!!) Compare that to Obama's campaign which seemed to run like a well-oiled machine. He had a clear message from the get-go, and his campaign supported that. Plus the campaign workers didn't hate each other, which probably made for a more effective work environment. Just not sure this book would help Hilary if she plans a 2016 bid, because a lot of it revealed her to be undecisive, unaware (when her campaign was going off the tracks), low-handed at times, and it was almost as if she felt entitled to the position. Or that was my impression of it.
I think the one thing Obama did that was maybe fishy but certainly not unheard of in politics was vehemently declaring he wasn't going to run -- twice -- and then working behind the scenes to see if it was feasible. And then backtracking his declaration to run for office. Again, flip-flopping is all too common in American politics.
But the other characters... John Edwards and his affair with Rielle Hunter. John Edwards' wife was apparently a raging bitch to John. That Rudy Guiliani would answer the phone from his wife while he was in front of a group of people giving a speech because "it was easier to answer now than to deal with it later". That Cindy McCain was possibly having an affair and John asked his staff to talk to her about it. WTF? I don't think we need an alpha male declaring war every other day in the White House, but can we have a strong candidate? And Palin. I almost feel a bit sorry for her, but she did sign on for it AND she's kept herself in the spotlight ever since. So she may have been miserable during the campaign, but I think she's turned lemons into lemonade for herself.
Anyway, it was a very interesting narrative on how the 2008 candidates came to be the 2008 candidates.
It was just such an interesting juxtaposition of the Obama and Clinton campaigns. Clinton's seemed to be in disarray and full of infighting with no singular, clear message on Hilary. Or when it came, it was too late. And I don't think Bill's involvement helped her at all. (I can't believe he was STILL -- maybe still is -- cheating on her!!) Compare that to Obama's campaign which seemed to run like a well-oiled machine. He had a clear message from the get-go, and his campaign supported that. Plus the campaign workers didn't hate each other, which probably made for a more effective work environment. Just not sure this book would help Hilary if she plans a 2016 bid, because a lot of it revealed her to be undecisive, unaware (when her campaign was going off the tracks), low-handed at times, and it was almost as if she felt entitled to the position. Or that was my impression of it.
I think the one thing Obama did that was maybe fishy but certainly not unheard of in politics was vehemently declaring he wasn't going to run -- twice -- and then working behind the scenes to see if it was feasible. And then backtracking his declaration to run for office. Again, flip-flopping is all too common in American politics.
But the other characters... John Edwards and his affair with Rielle Hunter. John Edwards' wife was apparently a raging bitch to John. That Rudy Guiliani would answer the phone from his wife while he was in front of a group of people giving a speech because "it was easier to answer now than to deal with it later". That Cindy McCain was possibly having an affair and John asked his staff to talk to her about it. WTF? I don't think we need an alpha male declaring war every other day in the White House, but can we have a strong candidate? And Palin. I almost feel a bit sorry for her, but she did sign on for it AND she's kept herself in the spotlight ever since. So she may have been miserable during the campaign, but I think she's turned lemons into lemonade for herself.
Anyway, it was a very interesting narrative on how the 2008 candidates came to be the 2008 candidates.
i loved this book - but i'm a political junkie! the behind-the-scenes machinations of the campaigns is riveting, and there's so much gossip! so interesting!
Just as engrossing as everyone says, I kind of devoured this. However, I have to say that although the parts with Palin generally got the most press-it was the description of the relationship between Clinton and Obama that I found most interesting and appealing. Gosh darn it, you find yourself rooting for those two crazy kids to make it work.
An easy-to-read, position-neutral account of hurt feelings, spite and occasional sexual dalliances (and a couple that just seem thrown into the story to make things equitable). If you are one of the very few people who believe real change is possible through the political process and that candidates serve to refract the desire of their constituents, you're about to get schooled. Everyone else should find this book hilarious, if a bit depressing in the end. I hear Visigoths in the distance.
So many excerpts of Game Change appeared in the media in January and February that a lot of the sting has been taken out of Heilemann and Halperin's revelations. It's still eye opening, though, to read about the well-oiled, well-funded Obama machine. Even with right-wing superstar Palin on the GOP ticket (all the snippets from Change on talk shows and news broadcasts didn't completely capture the portrayal of the abysmal level of ignorance the woman possessed--and still possesses), thanks to the economic meltdown and his campaign's superior organization Barack was going to crush the opposition in November no matter what.
Wow is this juicy. Backstabbing, maneuvering, manipulating, miscalculating, and delusional. Yep these are the people we elect! A quick and riveting read, and oh so very gossipy. The book gives new insight to all the players in 2008 election.
This was an interesting look at the campaign for the 2008 election from all sides.
I do have to wonder about HBO's film version of this concentrating on McCain/Palin since that is far less than half of the book. Slightly bigger than a footnote, but not by a lot.
I do have to wonder about HBO's film version of this concentrating on McCain/Palin since that is far less than half of the book. Slightly bigger than a footnote, but not by a lot.